Cell holder and concrete form



J 3, 1956 F. J. ZOERB 2,728,970

CELL HOLDER AND CONCRETE FORM Filed Aug. 6, 1954 IN VEN TOR.

BY F .J Zoerb United States Patent CELL HOLDER AND CONCRETE FORM Fred J. Zoerb, Ainsworth, Nebr.

Application August 6, 1954, Serial No. 448,266

Claims. (Cl. 25-1) This invention relates to building construction particularly of the type formed with concrete walls and in which the walls are provided with open cells to reduce the quantity of concrete used therein, and in particular a tool for picking up and placing a plurality of hollow metal cylinders in position in a wall and wherein the tool is adapted to be used as a form to hold concrete so that areas between and around the cylinders may be filled with concrete to form a concrete wall.

The purpose of this invention is to facilitate the construction of concrete walls of the type having open cells therein by providing a tool with which a row of hollow cylinders may be taken from a rack, positioned in a wall, and surrounded with concrete in a comparatively simple operation.

In constructing concrete walls of the type having open cells therein it is difficult to place or drop the cell forming elements in the forms of the walls without weakening the walls at certain points and in numerous instances such walls crack due to the cells being bunched at points. With this thought in mind this invention contemplates a tool, such as a tool for carrying a row of bricks, in which elongated side plates of the tool are adapted to grip a row of hollow cylinders whereby the cylinders, which have been positioned in a rack, are retained in position and may be deposited in such positions in a wall so that after areas around the cylinders are filled with concrete a complete wall, in which the concrete content is reduced to a minimum, is provided.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide means for forming open cells in a concrete wall whereby the cells are evenly distributed throughout the wall.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for positioning hollow cylinders in a concrete wall to provide open cells therein in which a tool for placing the cylinders in the wall is also adapted to be used as a form for retaining concrete poured around the cylinders in position until the concrete sets.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a tool for positioning hollow bodies in a wall to provide open cells in the wall in which the positioning means also provides a form for retaining concrete poured over the hollow bodies in position to form the wall, and in which means may be provided at the end of the tool for forming a corner at a desired angle.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tool for picking up, carrying, and positioning hollow bodies for forming open cells in a concrete wall in which the hollow bodies are retained in the tool by friction and all screws, bolts, or other mechanical fastening elements normally required for holding such devices are obviated.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a manually actuated tool for picking up, carrying and depositing rows of hollow bodies in a concrete wall in which the tool also provides a form for facilitating pouring concrete around the hollow bodies in which the tool is of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the invention embodies pairs of pivotally connected levers, spaced parallel elongated plates carried by arms of the levers, springs connected to the levers for urging the C) 'ice plates against objects positioned to be gripped by the tool, handles extended through upper parts of the levers, corner plates adapted to be attached to ends of the plates, and friction pads positioned on inner surfaces of the plates.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the tool showing hollow cylinders positioned between the plates of the tool in broken lines.

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of the tool showing hollow cylinders gripped by the side plates of the tool, the hollow cylinders being shown in broken lines.

Figure 3 is a detail showing a corner plate adapted to be held in sockets on the outer surfaces of the plates at one end of the tool.

Figure 4 is a detail showing a plurality of hollow cylinders positioned in a rack, and adapted to be picked up by the tool.

While one embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the above referred to drawings, it is to be understood that they are merely for the purpose of illustration, and that various changes in construction may be resorted to in the course of manufacture in order that the invention may be utilized to the best advantage according to cir' cumstances which may arise, without in any way departing from the spirit and intention of the device, which is to be limited only in accordance with the appended claims. And while there is stated the primary field of utility of the invention, it remains obvious that it may be employed in any other capacity wherein it may be found applicable.

In the accompanying drawings and in the following specification, the same reference characters are used to designate the same parts and elements throughout, and in which the numeral 10 refers to the invention in its entirety, numerals 12 and 14 indicating pairs of levers pivotally connected by bolts 16 and spaced from the ends of the tool, numerals 18 and 20 elongated plates attached to arms 22 and 24 of the levers, respectively, numeral 26 friction pads positioned on the inner surfaces of the plates, numerals 28 and 30 handles extended through upper ends of the levers, and numeral 32 springs for actuating the levers to urge the plates and friction washers against ends of hollow bodies, as indicated by the broken lines 34.

As illustrated in Figure 2, the plate 18 is provided with a continuous flange 36 on the upper edge which is positioned to extend over hollow bodies gripped between the plates, and the lower edge is provided with an arcuate lip 38 to guide the plate over the ends of the cell forming shells or hollow bodies 34. The complementary plate 20 is also provided with a flange 40 similar to the flange 36, and a lip 42, similar to the lip 38 of the plate 18, is provided on the lower edge.

Although the levers 12 and 14 are illustrated as being formed with flat plates, it will be understood that the levers may be formed of tubular material or of material of any other shape in cross section. The arms 22 and 24, which extend from the lower ends of the levers, are secured such as by welding, to reinforcing plates 44, and the plates 44 are secured to the plates 18 and 20 by suitable means, such as the rivets 46, or these plates may also be secured to the plates 18 and 20 by welding. It will also be noted that the plates 18 and 20 may be of such thickness that the reinforcing plates 44 will not be required.

The friction pads 26 are secured to the plates 18 and 20 by suitable means, such as by the rivets 43.

As illustrated in Figure 2, the lever 12 is provided with spaced openings 50 and 52, and with similar openings 54 and 56 in the lever 14 the levers are adapted to be adjusted to correspond with the size or" the hollow bodies to be gripped by the tool. It will be understood that as many of the openings for the pivot bolts 16 may be provided as may be desired. With the bolt 16 positioned in the openings 52 and 54, as shown in Figure 2, the tool is adapted to hold and carry hollow bodies, such as the cylinders 34, and when it is desired to use the tool for smaller cylinders the bolt 16 is placed through the openings 50 and 56.

One end of the spring 32 is secured in an opening 58 in the lever 12 and the opposite end in an opening 60 in the lever 14.

The levers 12 and 14 are provided with upwardly extended sections 62 and 64, respectively, and the upper ends of the sections 62 are provided with openings 66 through which a rod forming the handle 28 extends, and a rod forming the handle 30 extends through similar openings 68 in the sections 64.

The ends of the plates, at one end of the tool are provided with spaced parallel tubular sockets 70 and 72, and pins 74 and 76 extended at right angles from ends of bars 78 and 80, which are secured to end plates 82 with fasteners, such as the rivets 84, are adapted to be held in the sockets whereby the plates 82 may be extended across the ends of the forms provided by the tool so that square corners, or corners at suitable angles may be formed as concrete is poured over the hollow bodies. These end, or corner plates may, or may not be used, as may be desired.

The rack 86, shown in Figure 4, may be formed of wood, or corrugated material, or of other suitable material, and the corrugations may be spaced according to the spacing desired for the open cells in the concrete wall.

It is preferred to use hollow metal cylinders with closed ends for the hollow bodies, however, it will be understood that the hollow bodies may be of any shape or design, and may be made of any suitable material.

With sections of a wall formed progressively with this tool building walls may be formed rapidly, efficiently, and economically, and with the tool progressively positioned on the wall the side surfaces will be in alignment and the surfaces of the finished walls will be smooth.

In use the handles are drawn together and the plates positioned over a row of hollow cylinders with the cylindars' positioned on a rack, as shown in Figure 4, wherein the cylinders are spaced to correspond with the friction gripping pads, and with the cylinders held in position by the pads they are carried to a wall and deposited on the upper surface. The tool is adapted to remain in position with the plates providing forms for retaining concrete poured over the cylinders. As the concrete sets the tool is removed and used to obtain another row of cylinders, and this cycle of operations is continued until the Wall is finished.

From the foregoing specification it will become apparent that the invention disclosed will adequately accomplish the functions for which it has been designed, and in an economical manner, and that its simplicity, accuracy, and ease of operation are such as to provide a relatively inexpensive device, considering what it will accomplish and that it will find an important place in the art to which it appertains when once placed on the market.

It is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the invention after considering the description in connection with the drawings. Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

Changes in shape, size, and rearrangement of details and parts such as come within the purview of the invention claimed may be resorted to, in actual practice, if desired.

Having now described the invention that which is claimed to be new and desired to be procured by Letters Patent, is:

1. A tool for use in building construction comprising spaced pivotally connected elements having upwardly extendingsections on ends thereof on one side of the pivotal connections and arms extended from the ends on the opposite side, rods extending through the sections connecting the elements, elongated parallel plates connected by said arms and spaced gripping pads on inner surfaces of said plates for holding cell forming shells positioned between the plates.

2. A tool for use in building construction comprising spaced pairs of pivotally connected elements, parallel rods extended through elements of the pairs providing handles, parallel plates carried by the elements of the pairs, spaced friction pads on inner surfaces of the plates positioned to grip cell forming shells between the plates, and resilient means connecting elements of the pairs for urging the plates against said cell forming shells.

3. A tool for use in constructing concrete walls comprising pairs of levers, means for pivotally connecting the levers of the pairs, parallel rods extended through upper parts of the levers providing handles, vertically disposed elongated parallel plates having inwardly extended flanges on upper edges thereof carried by lower ends of the levers and positioned to engage ends of cell forming cylinders, means resiliently connecting the levers of the pairs for urging the plates against the ends of the cylinders, vertically spaced horizontally disposed sockets positioned on outer surfaces of said plates, and end plates having spaced pins extended at right angles from one of the ends thereof adapted to be positioned at right angles to the plates carried by the levers at one of the ends of the plates with the pins in said sockets.

4. In a tool for masonry construction, the combination which comprises spaced pairs of levers, adjustable means for pivotally connecting the levers, springs connecting the levers below the pivotal connecting means, elongated parallel plates having flanges on the upper edges carried by the lower ends of the levers, spaced gripping elements on inner surfaces of the plates, elongated rods extended through upper parts of the levers providing handles and adapted to urge the plates apart against the action of the springs, spaced horizontally disposed sockets positioned on outer surfaces of ends of the plates, and plates having paced pins extended at right angles from ends thereof and said pins being adapted to be positioned in said sockets.

5. In a tool for concrete wall construction, the combination which comprises spaced pairs of crossed levers having upwardly extended sections on upper parts thereof, parallel rods extended through the upwardly extended sections providing handles, pivotal means for adjustably connecting the levers of the pairs, springs connecting the levers of the pairs, vertically disposed elongated plates having right angularly disposed flanges on the upper edges and outwardly flared lower edges carried by arms extended downwardly from said levers, said plates being adapted to engage ends of cylindrical elements positioned between the plates, spaced friction pads positioned on inner surfaces of the plates, spaced horizontally disposed tubular sockets positioned on outer surfaces of the plates and spaced inwardly from ends thereof, and corner plates with pins extended angularly from ends thereof adapted to be positioned at ends of the vertically disposed plates with the pins extended into said sockets.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 775,980 Landes Nov. 29, 1904 811,135 Emerson Jan. 30, 1906 1,041,991 Frost Oct. 22, 1912 1,160,033 Ambrose Nov. 9, 1915 1,757,196 jaques May 6, 1930 2,400,852 Stevenson May 21, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS 28,2 96 Great Britain Aug. 13, 1914 35,645 France Mar. 26, 1930 

